The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-04-13
W0MAN'S DEPARTMENT.
An Interesting Batch Of Gossip for the
Entertainment of the
Fair Sex.
Notes on House DecoratiOn-A Glance
ut the Fashiens-A Home
Peril.
BY ANNIE E. MYERS.
For the House.

No enterprising housekeeper bat has her
soul tried devising new and novel features
for her domain. AT the present day furni-
ture as we'll as dress must submit to the die
tates of fashion, and her DEGREES are so
varied that it is often a fatiguing undertak-
ing 10 furnish house both practically and
tastefully.
level woman will go calmly and
unexcitedly about it. Decide in the first
place that even an unpretentious house can
not be decked ont in a hurry. Each article
must receive deliberate and almost prayer
full attention.
Tradition TO the contrary, no woman
likes 10 go through the shops merely for
inspection. 1t is much pleasanter to al
ways purchase. The clerks seem to recog-
nize intuitiveiy her character. They pay
her the barest civilities; they consider her
their most despicable enemy, and have no
hesitancy in letting her know the fact.
They are always busy when she comes near
them, and telegraph her approach to less
well-informed but sympathizing coadju-
tors.
But woman bent on a wholesome pur-
pose will not mind n little thing like that
She will patiently inform herself of what is
in the market, she will make drawings and
study combinations of color and shapes,
and not purchase until she is sure she has
what she needs.
Each season there comes some especial
feature. At one time 1t was brass, again
stained glass or inlaid floors. For the mo-
ment they were the feature. Just now it is
carved furniture. To be in style you must
have a piece of it of some kind or de-
scrip ion.
Carved furniture is SO adaptable to most
styles of decoration that it is acknowledged
1, - af,,l Cor
Carved oak cabinets for reception looms,
carved Bullets for drawing rooms, and
dainty little carved writing tables or desks
for ladies' boudoirs or drawing rooms are
most slightly.
OF course, the greatest luxury may be
displayed in it. and various kinds of beau
tiful foreign, Indian and Canadian, COM
bined with English, woods are utilized.
Many exhibitions show articles of every
kind in it for houses of mo1ern luxury and
refinement, making an effect equal to the
elegant marqueterie of ancient days.
But there are as well less expensive and
quite beautiful articles that middle-class
houses may aspire to possess. Pretty
shelves and cabinets with simply the edges
carved, when finished with brass rod on
which run rings suspendlng silk curtains,
behind which glimmers an article or two of
bric-a- brac, are often seen.
Strongly made chairs of unique design
are also carved aud not expensive. They
come with cane seats and backs and are
ornamental ia any room, but particularly
80 in halls and dining rooms.
In upholstered furniture, Turkish designs
are obsolete. and the tapestry covers are
placed over cushions held in carved frames.
This brings us to the simplest of carved
ornaments, mirror and picture frames.
1n1, yhA hoxy 10
or less of a study of wood-carviag in
an amateur way are providing them
selves with these to their great salts
faction. They often further add to the
effectiveness of their work by covering
some of the raised birds or flowers with
gilt. This taste is questionable, although
much admired, particularly with walnut
wood.
With this craze for carving the use of
tapestry is more resorted to by hous keep
ers than ever. Wooden tapestry drapes the
windows, and portions or it look charm
ingly rich in otherwise plainly furnished
rooms. In combination with high toned
pushes nothing can he handsomer. But
they are most expensive, and as the season
advances they can not be comfortable or
appropriate.
However, these tapestry designs come in
lighter materials, even in airy scrim, and
at moderate prices within the reach of all.
The dark-indigo blues and Oriental reds
and yellows are faithfully reproduced in
yard wide scrim at fifteen cents per yard.
Tides, the solace of many an idle life,
are handsomest embroidered in tapestry
designs and colors. They have completely
superseded tides in crochet or lace. With
these rich colors much gold embroidery is
employed. These pieces of ornamental
Of -.
porarily tackled over satin or any plain
colored chLE seat or back. Gentlemen
who have considered these little pieces the
nuisanees of their parlor lives are delighted
with this resort TO positive facts in posi-
tons.